‘That ’90s Show’ Reveals ’90s Rockers Behind Netflix Series’ Theme Song
James Iha knows a thing or two about the '90s. In fact, the guitarist was in one of the eras biggest bands, Smashing Pumpkins, as the era played out. Now Iha is getting a chance to revisit the '90s by taking on the role of composer for the upcoming Netflix revival That '90s Show.
While Iha will have his imprint on the series' music, the theme song from That '70s Show will be adapted to fit the era in which That '90s Show is set. Per Variety, showrunner Gregg Mettler eventually decided on a revamped version of "In the City," the Big Star song that was recorded by Cheap Trick as the theme for the original series. Mettler himself arranged a new version of the song with his daughter on the demo's vocals before turning it over to Iha. And from there, Iha called in Brett Anderson, the former vocalist for The Donnas, to provide the voice for the new version of the theme.
“I love all the music from the 90s, all the genres, and we try our best to weave them all into the show,” Mettler told Variety. “And so, there’s something for everybody inside the show.”
That '90s Show has plenty of ties to the original series, with Eric (Topher Grace) and Donna's (Laura Prepon) 15-year-old daughter Leia (Callie Haverda) coming to spend the summer with her grandparents (Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp), soon meeting some of the neighbor kids and forging new bonds in a pre-iPhone era. While Smith and Rupp will be part of the new cast, many of the original "teens" from That '70s Show will be making guest appearances.
The 10-episode run starts on Netflix on Jan. 19.